SUSIE MALLETT

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Sunday, 18 May 2014

Learning

'A place to draw'

Thinking
about when the process of learning to draw began

After my sister had scrubbed down the bookcase in my
newly decorated room I sorted through the books with the aim to take some to
the charity shop, I think I took about 3 in the end). The books included those
that I had been given from birth through my childhood many with inscriptions in
the inside cover, and those, mostly non-fiction that I had bought at art school
and during teacher training, all of them dated when bought. There were some
school exercise and project books amongst them and also lots of packets with
old photographs.

It took me a long time to sort through the shelves as there
were my illustrated poems to read (from the 1960s), my artistic descriptions of geographical
features seen on field trips to be looked at ( from the 1970s) and many memories
to be recalled and stories to be retold from photographs dating back to the 1800s.

Amongst these photographs I found some oversize slides.
These slides were of my A Level Art pieces, A1 size works that where sent away
to the Cambridge Examining Board be marked never to be seen again, yes, it
was all burnt! Thousands of pieces of art work from budding artist destroyed
because it was too expensive to send it back.

'Tree stump' by Susie Mallett 1974

Those were the days before digital cameras, there was
still a year to go before I was surprised to find a slim-line, Boots instamatic camera in my
Christmas stocking. So what were we to do? A fellow sixth-former and I were
determined to have a record of our, to us very valuable, works of art so we persuaded my friend’s brother to do this. He hung them on the
shed wall and snapped away. I think this is why there are shadows across the
pictures although it could be deterioration of the quality of the slides, they
are 40 years old!

We were determined to keep our pictures for prosperity,
but my slides got put on the shelf were promptly forgotten and left there on
the shelf for 40 years! Last week I took them to the photographer around the
corner and this is what was printed.

I was overwhelmed by the prints when I first saw them.
When I realised that I had prodused these drawings before I went to art school for four years so I had obviously learnt quite a lot at school, although I have always believed I learnt to draw at art school. I have more pictures at home from school days that I shall have to dig out, in another cupboard at the top of the house I discovered rolls of drawings from first-form through till fifth-form at grammar school that my Mum had saved for me to find one day.

'Reflections' by Susie Mallett, 1974

While I was still in the photographers last week looking at the prints from the slides I suddenly remembered as
if it was yesterday. Images filled my mind of sitting in the art room at school,
for five hours at a time, to take the exams that produced these.

I loved my art lessons. I had four different art
teachers during my A Level course all of whom were an inspiration to us all. There
were only five pupils in my art group and each double lesson, of which there
were several each week, we were taught by a different artist. Yes, all of our
teachers were practicing artists who showed us their own work. There it certainly was not a case of those who can't, teach!

'Plate with cutlery' by Susie Mallett 1974

I loved the long exams even more than the lessons. We were
given exam subjects before hand and were allowed to prepare sketches on the chosen theme, then on the given day we would sit in silence in the art room to draw or
paint for a whole school day – what bliss.

'Rubbish' by Susie Mallett, 1974

I remember the teacher who built the still-life with
the dustbin and boxes. He asked us how we wanted them all placed. I remembered that
as I drew I was almost tempted to add the tail of a mouse disappearing behind
one of the boxes.

Prints of these pictures now hang in my hall and
already one of my friends has asked for copies of two of them.

CONTACT ME FOR CONDUCTIVE SERVICES IN GERMANY OR THE UK, OR OVER THE INTERNET

Conductive pedagogy and upbringing with children, teenagers and adults, consultations, lectures and presentations

I am now open to further bookings of all kinds over the coming months.

A small deposit will secure.

Public presentations on adult work a speciality!

CE OVER THE INTERNET NEW PROJECT

"Doing a Dina"

I am currently looking for families of young children anywhere in the world to take part in preliminary work to explore the possibilities of working conductively over the Internet through Skype, audio and/or webcam. This can be done in German, in English or in Hungarian, as required.

This is "exploratory work" of a kind not done before in Conductive Education, so fees at this point will be very reasonable indeed.

Interested families should contact me to discuss possibilities further, in the language of their choice and without obligation, at

If you don't already have a copy of Dina (and in my opinion every parent with a child under three with cerebral palsy should have read this) this is the only book to describe how to bring up a young child with cerebral palsy "conductively", you can get one by contacting me or the Library at the National Institute for Conductive Education:

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About Me

I am Susie Mallett, conductor. I was born, raised and first educated in England (degree in fine arts in 1979, qualifications as a secondary-school art teacher and art therapist in 1983. From 1989 to 1993 I trained as a conductor at the Pető Institute in Budapest under Dr Mária Hári, since when I have lived and worked in Germany as a self-employed conductor.. I currently work with children in a conductive team in Nürnberg, and with adults in collaboration with therapists in adult rehabilitation. I particularly like to work with my stroke clients and with children and their families in their own homes. My conductive practice is in German and English.
I also speak Hungarian. My theoretical background relates closely to that of András Pető and Mária Hári. Uniquely amongst conductors I describe my work on the Internet. I am available to give public talks and private consultations.
Welcome to my site. I hope that you find much to interest you. You will also find some good things to see and listen to while you are here. Enjoy your visit and contact me if you think that I can help.
Susie Mallett, Conductor, BA Hons, PGCE, Dip ArtTherapy, DiplKondPed